Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2011
Comparative StudyNo effect of time of day at presentation to the emergency department on the outcome of patients who are admitted to the intensive care unit.
To determine if an association exists between the time of day when a patient presents to ED and their outcome for those admitted directly to the ICU. ⋯ The time of day patients arrive at the ED has no association with length of stay in ED, intensive care or hospital, time on the ventilator, or mortality for those who are admitted to the ICU.
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2011
Comparative StudySick leave in the emergency department: staff attitudes and the impact of job designation and psychosocial work conditions.
To examine patterns of, and attitudes to, sick leave taken by ED and other hospital staff and to compare ED doctor and nurse psychosocial work conditions. ⋯ Emergency department staff generally report healthy psychosocial work conditions. However, the high rate of ED nurse sick leave might be related to their considerable psychological job demand and perceived lack of supervisor support.
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2011
Case Reports'Mass allergy': acute scombroid poisoning in a deployed Australian Defence Force health facility.
On the last night of disaster relief operations in Sumatra, Indonesia, a mass casualty event occurred that involved deployed Australian Defence Force personnel. Symptoms of acute urticaria, angioedema, wheeze and gastrointestinal upset were experienced to varying degrees by 16% of the deployed element. The present report describes a presumed scombroid poisoning cluster and demonstrates the difficulties of operating in a deployed environment, the confusion that might be associated with evolving non-kinetic mass casualties, and provides a learning opportunity for an unusual mass casualty incident.
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2011
Variation in the management of hypothetical cases of acute agitation in Australasian emergency departments.
To describe the prescribing practice of emergency medicine clinicians in the management of highly agitated patients and to identify perceived barriers to management and the gaps in training. ⋯ There is considerable variation in the management of hypothetical cases of acute agitation in Australasian EDs. Benzodiazepines and antipsychotics, either alone or in combination, are commonly used. An ACEM-endorsed, Australasian CPG was perceived as useful.
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2011
Case ReportsAcute compartment syndrome of the thigh following minor trauma in a patient on dual anti-platelet therapy.
Acute compartment syndrome of the thigh is a rare surgical emergency. It is usually associated with high energy trauma and concomitant femoral fracture. ⋯ Background anti-platelet therapy and hospital prescribed anticoagulants were likely contributors to this pathology. We describe these factors and discuss the issues associated with assessment of minor trauma in the anti-coagulated patient.